Bells Bicycles

Bells Bicycles Bells Bespoke – Specialists in vintage bike restoration and custom builds. Based in South London. "Bells Bicycles combines elegance and engineering.

From timeless classics to one-off creations, we combine craftsmanship, heritage and modern flair to bring every ride back to life. Driving a car is so last century!" Stella magazine June 2013

"A cyclist’s heaven – from fast track bikes of the Forties to classically-inspired contemporary designs. Now that's a good idea" Vogue, Oct 2012

"Bells is a cornucopia of elegance and enginee

ring. Even the names of these bicycles conjure up another world- the Hero Royale, the Raleigh Caprice, the Cameo Classic." Homes and Antiques, August 2011

"Having got our bike from Bells Bicycles, we explored the rugged Terrain of Hastings and beyond" Gay Times Nov 2012


" Where to shop? Treat yourself to a sexy Pashley at this stylish bike shop" Coast Magazine Oct 2012. "One person who understands the universal appeal of historic cycles is Megan Williams, From opening Bells at the tender age of 22, she has been purveying the finest vintage machines to a growing army of customers ever since" Pretty Nostalgic Sep 2012. Bells Bicycles is a boutique shop and online retailer that believes cycling is an entire lifestyle choice, a fashion statement, a way to transport us from place to place, and something to be proud of. At Bells we love our bikes, and our customers do too. Founded and run by Meg Williams-O’Mara, a vintage bike enthusiast, the shop contains an ever-changing selection of bicycles. For Bells a bicycle is a work of art as well as a form of transport and each bicycle proudly holds its place in the distinguished and engaging history of cycling. From the super fast track bikes of the 40’s, to the simple town bikes made in the 70’s.These classic bicycles happily sit alongside modern machines such as the TokyoBike CS or Pashley ParaBike, influenced by the past yet seamlessly combining vintage design with modern componentry. Located in the Old Town of Hastings, just a few seconds from the sea, in a panelled 18th century shop (originally the local greengrocers), a trip to Bells bicycles can be combined with fish and chips, a stroll (or even a bike ride) by the sea, as far as the West Marina, where the official road ends, and a rough track (cyclable) takes you all the way to Bexhill. Visiting the website makes it easier than ever to browse or buy, or to keep up with the latest bicycle trends and fashions.

2025: Our favourite restorations.Our top five bikes, where craft and history led the rebuild.Each earned its place in th...
01/01/2026

2025: Our favourite restorations.

Our top five bikes, where craft and history led the rebuild.

Each earned its place in the workshop — for the design, the innovation, the iconic status, or the story it carried through cycling history.

All restored with period-correct precision — design respected, stories researched, heritage revived.

Swipe the before → after.

Bells Bespoke — Restoring icons.

We finished this project in the dead of winter. The kind of afternoon where shop windows glow a little warmer, and time ...
22/12/2025

We finished this project in the dead of winter. The kind of afternoon where shop windows glow a little warmer, and time seems happy to slow down. Apt, as this Phillips tricycle belongs to that feeling.

Built in an era when British manufacturers still assumed their work would outlive them, it carries a confidence you don’t see much anymore. Not loud. Not showy. Just right.

For this restoration, we were inspired by the season. We went for a deep red frame, rich and reassuring, paired with rims finished to match — a detail that’s rare and just right.

There’s something very Christmas about restorations like this. Not sparkle but magic nonetheless, The sense that good things, done well, endure across generations.

Merry Christmas x

If you’d walked past this Raleigh Sprite in the 1970s, you wouldn’t have noticed it. It was the sort of bike that simply...
11/12/2025

If you’d walked past this Raleigh Sprite in the 1970s, you wouldn’t have noticed it. It was the sort of bike that simply existed in the background of British life.

Fifty years on, most Sprites are long gone. But not this one. Someone cared for it exactly as it was, and for every memory it carried.

A full strip-down followed: metalwork rescued, chrome revived, paint returned to that soft metallic green that once caught the sun on weekend rides. Not modernised — respected. Reborn without losing its past.

This Raleigh isn’t special because it’s rare.
It’s special because someone chose to save it — a small act of rebellion in a world that throws things away.

Peugeot didn’t start with bicycles.Back in 1810, the family business was a small French foundry turning steel into saw b...
25/11/2025

Peugeot didn’t start with bicycles.

Back in 1810, the family business was a small French foundry turning steel into saw blades, hand tools, and kitchen knives—everyday objects built to last.

By 1858, an engraver named Justin Blazer, who lived near the factory, carved a symbol that would outgrow them all: a lion. Strong spine, sharp teeth, steady stride—meant to show the strength of their steel.

When Peugeot finally rolled out its first bicycles in 1882, the lion came with them.
Stamped onto enamel and brass, bolted to head tubes, leading the ride.

A tiny piece of metal carrying more than a logo—two centuries of French industry and family grit.

Badge 1: 1910’s
Badge 2: 1930’s
Badge 3: 1940’s
Badge 4: 1980’s

There’s nothing quite like assembling your brothers, dressing in your finest, and posing with the family’s prized bicycl...
13/11/2025

There’s nothing quite like assembling your brothers, dressing in your finest, and posing with the family’s prized bicycle.

The original bike gang: Victorian Edition

In the 1960’s, if you were small, adventurous, and lucky enough, you might have had a Raleigh Winkie — a pint-sized tric...
07/11/2025

In the 1960’s, if you were small, adventurous, and lucky enough, you might have had a Raleigh Winkie — a pint-sized tricycle built with the same care Raleigh gave their racers. Solid steel, bright enamel, and a rear box just begging to be filled with treasure.

This one came to us from its original owner, who’d kept it since childhood. Inside the box? Still there — the rocks they’d collected sixty years ago. Time capsules in pebbles.

We’ve carefully restored every part: the paint, the chrome, the spirit. The rocks, though — they stayed right where they were.

The Art of Patina RestorationNot every bicycle needs a factory-fresh rebirth. In this project we celebrated the aestheti...
28/09/2025

The Art of Patina Restoration

Not every bicycle needs a factory-fresh rebirth.

In this project we celebrated the aesthetics and stories told by softened paint, faded decals and gentle wear.
Preserving and protecting these details while stabilising the finish and safeguarding its hard-earned character.

With this bike, a classic Bianchi — the worn paintwork on the frame stood out as one of its defining features. Rather than overshadow it, we leaned in, pairing it with polished chrome components and clean, minimal lines to create a balanced, understated aesthetic.

Male SwagBikes have always been a stage, and some men turned every ride into a performance — it was swagger on two wheel...
15/09/2025

Male Swag

Bikes have always been a stage, and some men turned every ride into a performance — it was swagger on two wheels. Style, attitude, and the kind of cool that never needed an engine.

1947 Holdsworth Cyclone Seventy-five years after it first left South London, this Cyclone returned home for a full resto...
12/09/2025

1947 Holdsworth Cyclone

Seventy-five years after it first left South London, this Cyclone returned home for a full restoration. We stripped the frame back to bare steel, refinished it with a deep enamel bake, and re-created the fine hand-lined lugs and decals true to the originals.

Every detail was about respecting its heritage — not just making it rideable again, but restoring the character that made Holdsworth one of Britain’s most respected names.

A lightweight classic, reborn.

If you were one of the lucky one’s, you had your tribe. Makeshift ramps and cutting across estates. With the bike your c...
08/09/2025

If you were one of the lucky one’s, you had your tribe. Makeshift ramps and cutting across estates. With the bike your colours, your identity - your way into the gang. With only one rule - home before dark.

Address

London

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 5pm
Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+441424716541

Website

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